Bid to retry man over 1992 murder of teenager Amanda Duffy refused

Prosecutors have failed in a bid to retry a man cleared of murdering a teenage drama student more than 20 years ago.

Francis Auld stood trial at the High Court in Glasgow in 1992 for the murder of 19-year-old Amanda Duffy and was acquitted by a jury on a not proven verdict.

Ms Duffy’s body was found on waste ground in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, in May that year.

The Crown Office applied to the High Court under double jeopardy legislation to set aside the acquittal and prosecute Mr Auld again over the death.

A hearing on the application took place before senior judges at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh last month.

Giving their ruling at a brief hearing at the court on Friday, judge Lady Dorrian said: “The application is refused.”